Illinois Poverty Remains Stubbornly High
A new study finds Illinois' overall poverty rate is about the same as it was a half century ago.
The report released Thursday by the Chicago-based Social IMPACT Research Center says almost 15 percent of Illinois residents lived below the federal poverty line in 2012, about the same percentage as in 1960.
That's despite scores of state and federal aid programs and a dramatic drop in the number of older people in poverty.
Poverty has increased among working-age men and women, and 1 in 5 children are in poverty. It's highest among blacks and Latinos.
The report comes a day after Gov. Pat Quinn called on lawmakers to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour and double a tax credit that helps low-income workers keep more of their earnings.